1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to cutting apparatuses, and particularly to a cutting apparatus for cutting components from a sprue.
2. Related Art
Nowadays, plastic lenses are becoming more and more popular, particular in micro imaging apparatuses (e.g., lens modules widely used in mobile phones). This is due in large part to plastic lenses being highly suitable for mass production, enabling simple manufacturing processes and low manufacturing costs. Generally, plastic lenses are made using an injection molding process. To improve manufacturing efficiency, an injection mold may include two, fourth, eight or even more molding cavities for molding multiple plastic lenses in a single cycle. Such injection mold needs a multi-branch passage for providing molten plastic to the molding cavities. After a molding process, the plastic in the molding cavities forms a number of lenses. However, the plastic in the multi-branch passage is also solidified, thereby forming a multi-branch sprue that is connected to the lenses.
A simple way to separate each lens and the sprue is to cut off the lens from the sprue using a cutting tool (e.g., a scissor). However, a high shear force must be applied onto a periphery of the lens to cut off the lens, and the shear force may cause a stress concentration in the lens. As a result, the refractive index in different areas of the lens may become altered, and thereby an imaging quality of the lens is diminished. In addition, the cutting process may produce a plurality of small plastic waste particles, and these plastic particles are liable to pollute the obtained lens. Thus, an additional washing process is required. The washing process is time-consuming, and also decreases a yield rate of the lenses.
What is needed, therefore, is a cutting apparatus which is capable of overcoming the aforementioned problems.